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. 2023 Jun;30(28):72368-72388.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-27197-6. Epub 2023 May 11.

A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey

Fallah Hashemi  1 , Lori Hoepner  2 , Farahnaz Soleimani Hamidinejad  3   4 , Daniela Haluza  5 , Sima Afrashteh  6 , Alireza Abbasi  1 , Elma Omeragić  7 , Belma Imamović  7 , Narin A Rasheed  8 , Taqi M J Taher  9 , Fitri Kurniasari  10 , Dhuha Youssef Wazqar  11 , Özge Ceren Apalı  12 , Ayca Demir Yildirim  13 , Bo Zhao  14 , Zaruhi Kalikyan  15 , Cui Guo  16 , Andrea Chong Valbuena  17 , Magdalena Mititelu  18 , Carolina Martínez Pando  19 , Maria Saridi  20 , Aikaterini Toska  20 , Magalys Lopez Cuba  21 , Precious Kwablah Kwadzokpui  22 , Niguse Tadele  23 , Tohfa Nasibova  24 , Stefanie Harsch  25 , Luvsan Munkh-Erdene  26 , Wafaa Menawi  27 , Efi Evangelou  28 , Antoniya Dimova  29 , Dimitar Marinov  30 , Teodora Dimitrova  30 , Anna Shalimova  31 , Howieda Fouly  32 , Anna Suraya  33   34 , Juliana Pereira da Silva Faquim  35 , Bouadil Oumayma  36 , Maria Antonieta Annunziato  37 , Rezarta Lalo  38 , Evridiki Papastavrou  39 , Anju D Ade  40 , Susanna Caminada  41 , Svetlana Stojkov  42 , Carmen Gloria Narvaez  43 , Lutendo Sylvia Mudau  44 , Ines Rassas  45 , Daphnee Michel  46 , Nur Sema Kaynar  47 , Sehar Iqbal  48 , Halla Elshwekh  49 , Irin Hossain  50 , Sadeq Al-Fayyadh  51 , Aniuta Sydorchuk  52 , Dua'a M H Alnusairat  53 , Asli Mohamed Abdullahi  54 , Neelam Iqbal  55 , Apsara Pandey  56 , Brenda Gómez-Gómez  57 , Aysenur Gunaydin Akyildiz  58 , Elena Morosan  18 , Daniella Dwarica  59 , Gantuya Dorj  60 , Sumaya Yusuf Hasan  61 , Noha M Al-Shdayfat  62 , Bojana Knezevic  63 , Wendy Valladares  64 , Cecilia Severi  65 , Sofia Cuba Fuentes  66 , Sofia Augusto  67 , Elizaveta Sidorova  68 , Anita Dewi Moelyaningrum  69 , Tafaul Alawad  70 , Atiqa Khalid  71 , Nafisa M K Elehamer  72 , Anna Mihaylova  73 , Oxana Tsigengagel  74 , Aziza Menouni  75 , Agnieszka Wojtecka  76 , Rozita Hod  77 , Yusuf Banke Idayat  78 , Khadija Othman  79 , Rim M Harfouch  80 , Tsonco Paunov  30 , Meruyert Omar  81 , Nana Christine Benderli  82   83 , Globila Nurika  69 , Sana Amjad  84 , Salma Elnoamany  85 , Fatma Elesrigy  85 , Marwa Mamdouh Shaban  86 , Doménica Acevedo-López  87 , Maria Kartashova  88 , Atika Khalaf  89   90 , Sabah Abdullah Jaafar  91 , Taisir A Kadhim  91 , Nada Ab Hweissa  92 , Yulong Teng  93 , Fatima E Mohammed  94 , Thayahlini Sasikumar  95 , Christabel Nangandu Hikaambo  96 , Aditi Kharat  97 , Ulyana Lyamtseva  98 , Maya Arfan Aldeeb  99   100 , Natalia Pawlas  101 , Lkhagvasuren Khorolsuren  102 , Roopeshwaree Pallavi Koonjul  103 , Halima Boubacar Maïnassara  104 , Priyanka Chahal  105 , Rose W Wangeci  106 , Ainur B Kumar  107 , Irina Zamora-Corrales  108 , Stella Gracy  109 , Maimouna Mahamat  110 , Jakub Adamczyk  111 , Haliza Abdul Rahman  112 , Lolita Matiashova  113 , Omneya Ezzat Elsherif  114 , Nazdar E Alkhateeb  115 , Yamilé Aleaga  116 , Shima Bahrami  117 , Shaimaa Rahem Al-Salihy  118 , Paula Cabrera-Galeana  119 , Mladena Lalic-Popovic  120 , Eugenie Brown-Myrie  121 , Divya Bhandari  122 , Cinderella Akbar Mayaboti  123 , Svetlana Stanišić  124 , Sanda Kreitmayer Pestic  125 , Muhammed Yunus Bektay  126 , Haleama Al Sabbah  127 , Saber Hashemi  128 , Bouchetara Assia  129 , Anne-Sophie Merritt  130 , Zhian Ramzi  131 , Himawatee Baboolal  59 , Juman Isstaif  132 , Rula Shami  133 , Rahma Saad  134 , Temwanani Nyirongo  135 , Mohammad Hoseini  136   137
Affiliations

A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey

Fallah Hashemi et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Jun.

Abstract

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to assess the health effects of sanitizers and disinfectants on a global scale. A total of 91,056 participants from 154 countries participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on the use of sanitizers and disinfectants and health was collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was translated into 26 languages via web-based platforms. The findings of this study suggest that detergents, alcohol-based substances, and chlorinated compounds emerged as the most prevalent chemical agents compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants examined. Most frequently reported health issues include skin effects and respiratory effects. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between chlorinated compounds (sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine) with all possible health effects under investigation (p-value <0.001). Examination of risk factors based on multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohols and alcohols-based materials were associated with skin effects (OR, 1.98; 95%CI, 1.87-2.09), per-chlorine was associated with eye effects (OR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.74-1.93), and highly likely with itching and throat irritation (OR, 2.00; 95%CI, 1.90-2.11). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). The use of sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine also had a high chance of having respiratory effects. The findings of the current study suggest that health authorities need to implement more awareness programs about the side effects of using sanitizers and disinfectants during viral epidemics especially when they are used or overused.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health protocols; Sanitizers and disinfectants; Side effects.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Usage status of five groups of sanitizers
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Usage status of seven groups of disinfectants
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Distribution of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants in different countries
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The frequency distribution of 12 health outcomes studied
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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